Stardust... The Great American Songbook, Vol. III

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
It's a little hard to take Rod Stewart seriously when, on the first track of this third installment in his Great American Songbook series, he sings ruefully about his love life being "lean" ("Embraceable You"). But otherwise, Stardust...Volume III is as note-for-note solid as its predecessors--a cozy-up-to-the-fire treat that's also a pleasant reminder of these songs' staying power. "S'Wonderful" settles on the ears winningly, and Stewart's scratchathon voice scalpels the cobwebs off of "Isn't It Romantic" in a way that compels the average listener to reconsider thinking it dopey. In addition, the parade of high-wattage pals recruited to pitch in continues here, resulting in a couple of must-hear combinations. Eric Clapton delivers a rather un-Clapton-like guitar solo on "Blue Moon" and Stevie Wonder blows harp like he means it on "What a Wonderful World," but it is the duets--"Baby It's Cold Outside" with the unsinkable Dolly Parton and "Manhattan" with the indomitable Bette Midler--that the dazzle most. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews: Read 149 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Third Time Is Charm as Rocking Rod Delivers The Standards November 6, 2004
77 out of 89 found this review helpful

Having thoroughly enjoyed volumes 1 and 2 in the Great American Songbook, I was eagerly waiting for this one. And I was not disappointed. Rod continues to put his trademark voice on these classic standards and gives them a new romantic feeling with his unique interpretations.

Favorite songs like "For Sentimental Reasons, "Blue Moon," and "Isn't It Romantic" make this a cd I play continuously. The title song, "Stardust," has never been so richly done and the one special UK song which I had never heard before, "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a worthy addition to an otherwise all-American collection.

There are more guest performers on this one than in the two previous releases. Eric Clapton on "Blue Moon" and Stevie Wonder on "What A Wonderful World" are remarkable, but it is Bette Midler's easy style on "Manhattan" that steals the show. Her voice and spirit blend effortlessly with Rod's for a real showstopper performance. Only the duet with Dolly Parton seemed a bit off-key and weak to me as it's hard to imagine their two styles combining, and in my opinion they didn't.

Still, it's a wonderful work filled with highlights such as Cole Porter's unforgettable "Night and Day" and the newly-revised lyrics Rod improvises on "I Can't Get Started."

If you loved the first two and can appreciate what Rod Stewart has done for the most beautiful songs of all time, this one is a must.

1 out of 5 stars

ENOUGH ALREADY! November 15, 2004
30 out of 50 found this review helpful

As a kid, did you ever spend the night at a friend's house after he had gorged himself on chilidogs and coleslaw? Of course the inevitable chemical warfare he declared against you was nothing shy of hell complete with the stench of the devil. Finally, you would yell something to the effect of "ENOUGH ALREADY, you rancid squid!" Well, at this point "ENOUGH ALREADY" has to be my only message to Rod Stewart!

Don't get me wrong here though. I truly hate to rip on someone who was such a contributor to rock and roll music. And it cannot be argued that Stewart was a force to be reckoned with from the mid-`60's to the mid-`80's! However, these cheesy out-dated songs complete with hokey arrangements were a bit hard to take from someone like Stewart the first time around, much less three times around! I read in Rolling Stone not too long ago about a potential Small Faces reunion. That would do Stewart's pipes MUCH more justice than this stink could ever do. So get with it Rod, because the stench is getting mighty thick around you these days!

1 out of 5 stars

Would he just stop!!!!! November 9, 2004
23 out of 46 found this review helpful

Awful, awful, awful... could someone please bring back the 'real' Rod Stewart - and take this one back!!!

1 out of 5 stars

Awful, grating, irritating October 26, 2004
17 out of 30 found this review helpful

I haven't purchased this album, merely ENDURED it for an hour or so at a local bookshop (which seems hell-bent on playing bad music at high volume). As a fan of the big-band standard, I'm well-familiar with the tunes Mr. Stewart vainly attempts to sing on this album. Unfortunately, he does not pull them off with anything resembling artistry or talent. His raspy, grating, tuneless yowling-of-cats-in-the-night is far more distracting than soulful, and the talent of myriad songwriters is simply buried in the horror of the voice. In a rock song, this cheese-grater-and-sandpaper scratching may be desirable, but no amount of post-production can make Mr. Stewart's voice the equivalent of a Sinatra, nor even a Connick. Songs of this type DEMAND a melodius fluidity, not a harsh, fragmented attack, particularly evident in the final track, "Nightingale."

Mr. Stewart is certainly talented in his realm, but this attempt to reposition himself is not an example of his talent. Only the biggest fans of Mr. Stewart will buy this...and they SHOULDN'T.

1 out of 5 stars

Boring Old Has-Been November 15, 2004
17 out of 30 found this review helpful

Rod Stewart has for some time been the blue-collar, hard-labouring, all-American guy...

Except he is English and has this incessant will to create sell-out American styled and fused albums.

The Great American Songbook has been such a huge, gravely overrated set of albums I'm getting tired. For starter he's not American, he's not `great', nor is America (just joking honestly, I am English you see). I just question why label yourself under such false pretences.

I'll tell you why, just take a look at where those babies are in the charts...HIGH. Way too high for an incredulous false-labelled con man. Does this sh*te sell in England, not really no, and it's because he has this disregard for his roots, a hang-up.

As for the music, well, it's nothing great. I get this overwhelming feeling to cough violently when I hear Mr. America sing due to his old husky voice, which sounds like an 80 year old with throat cancer. Also, hang on...IT IS OLD. 70's ok...80's pushing it...90's mmm no more though, BUT NOW. Please just retire and shack up with some blonde thing.

He needs to grow up, cut his hair, get rid of the highlights, settle in his homeland America, marry and stop producing The Great Piece Of Self-Obsessed Ludicrous Songbook. I'm fed up to the teeth with Rodney Stewart, he's dealings with leggy young blondes half his age, his possessiveness with American Music charts, and of course the dollar he sticks up his arse every time a sheep buys this turd.

His use of the American public, idolising himself as an American singer and artist...yes of course us Brits believe you. Yep, I'm done with this old has-been.

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